Carbon footprint: how to minimise the impact of everyday journeys outside major cities

Aurélien Bigo, Research Associate of the Energy and Prosperity Chair at Institut Louis Bachelier

On October 21st, 2026 3 min reading time

Despite the declining role of the car in major urban centres, mobility in less densely populated areas does not appear to be changing.

Science under suspicion: Anatomy of a trust crisis

On October 22nd, 2026 1 min reading time

Is trust in science in crisis? Find out in the latest issue of the 3.14 magazine.

Academic freedom: where does France stand?

Olivier Beaud, Professor of Public Law at Université Paris-Panthéon-Assas

On October 21st, 2026 6 min reading time

The Trump administration’s crackdown on science and universities is further eroding academic freedom. What is the situation in France?

Daniel Racek_VF

Measuring war damage cost-effectively using radar satellites

Daniel Racek, Head of the Department for Data Science in Crisis and Conflict Research at University of the Bundeswehr Munich

On October 21st, 2026 4 min reading time

How disinformation undermines the relationship between science and society

Tiffany Morisseau, Researcher in Cognitive Psychology, affiliated with Institut Catholique de Paris and the Center for Research on Mediation, Negotiation, and Society (CREMENS)

On October 14th, 2026 3 min reading time

For decades, disinformation has been rife, right up to the highest levels of government.

Technological security: the great comeback of industrial policy?

Tai Ming Cheung, Professor at the University of California San Diego and Co-Director of the Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation

On October 14th, 2026 7 min reading time

The United States and China dominate the global technology race, making tech security a major geopolitical issue.

pastur_polemeca2025_

Why is stabilisation of floating wind turbines holding back their development?

Luc Pastur, Associate Professor in Fluid Mechanics at ENSTA (IP Paris)

On October 14th, 2026 3 min reading time

Image recognition: the promise of a new approach to energy-efficient AI

Jean-Gabriel Ganascia, Philosopher and Professor Emeritus of Computer Science at the Faculty of Sciences at Sorbonne University, Simon Thorpe, CNRS Research Director

On October 6th, 2026 3 min reading time

Inspired by the way the brain works, frugal AI could enable image recognition whilst reducing the resources required by current models.

Should scientists take a stand or remain neutral?

Armand Hatchuel, Professor Emeritus of Management Sciences and Design Theory at Mines Paris - PSL

On October 6th, 2026 4 min reading time

To what extent can, or should, a scientist engage in the public arena?

Joseph Vernier_VF

Agrivoltaics: the hidden airflow beneath the panels

Joseph Vernier, PhD Student at CEREA/EDF and Centre Interdisciplinaire Energy4Climate (IP Paris)

On October 6th, 2026 5 min reading time

Everything you need to know about tokenisation of public assets

Pierre-Charles Pradier, Economist and Associate Professor at Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne

On September 29th, 2026 6 min reading time

Putting public assets on digital ledgers offers a new way to modernise sovereign debt management.

Simulation engines: video games in the age of dual technologies

Vincent Bontems, Philosopher of Science and Technology, Research Director at CEA, and Professor at Université Paris-Saclay, Jean Langlois-Berthelot, Doctor in Applied Mathematics and Former Researcher at Ecole Polytechnique (IP Paris)

On September 29th, 2026 6 min reading time

A video game is a live laboratory built on players, rules, feedback, and the traces they generate.

Irène Georgescu_vf

Breast cancer: managing long-term treatment, a constant psychological challenge

Irène Georgescu, Professor of management sciences at Montpellier Management, Université de Montpellier, Etienne Minvielle, Director of the Centre de Recherche en Gestion at Ecole Polytechnique (IP Paris), Israa Salma, Researcher in Health Management at the Gustave Roussy Cancer Center and I3-CRG (IP Paris), Élodie Gigout , Research Engineer at Ecole Polytechnique (IP Paris)

On September 29th, 2026 5 min reading time

Artificial general intelligence: the true, the false, and the uncertain

Laurence Devillers, Professor of Artificial Intelligence at Sorbonne University and CNRS Researcher at LISN (Interdisciplinary Laboratory for Digital Sciences)

On September 22nd, 2026 5 min reading time

The arrival of artificial general intelligence (AGI), an AI that would match human intelligence, is said to be imminent, between 2029 and 2032.

Academic freedom in decline in Europe and around the world

Angelo Vito Panaro, Postdoctoral Researcher at the Institute of Political Science at Friedrich-Alexander University

On September 22nd, 2026 3 min reading time

Between 2015 and 2025, as many as 50 countries recorded a substantial, statistically significant decline in their academic freedom index.

China's engineering state: the hidden machinery of speed and scale

Dan Wang, Researcher at the Hoover History Lab at Stanford University

On September 15th, 2026 4 min reading time

China has established itself as a true ‘engineering state’, making construction and infrastructure the driving forces behind its development.

Immersive 3D experience at MuAM: witness construction of the Statue of Liberty

Marius Preda, Associate Professor at Institut MINES-Télécom, Hubert Naudeix, Founder of Aristeas

On September 15th, 2026 4 min reading time

To mark the 140th anniversary of the unveiling of the Statue of Liberty, the Musée des Arts et Métiers is organising an immersive exhibition.

Laure Colin_VF

K-företag: how Sweden mobilises civilian businesses during war efforts

Laure Colin, Postdoctoral Researcher at the Interdisciplinary Institute for Innovation (i3-CRG) at Ecole Polytechnique (IP Paris)

On September 15th, 2026 5 min reading time

Are World Models set to transform AI?

Jean Ponce, Professor at École normale supérieure-PSL and Global Distinguished Professor at New York University

On September 2nd, 2026 4 min reading time

The limitations of LLMs pave the way for “world models,” which are designed to understand the dynamics of the physical world.

Climate change is affecting power grids, here's what to expect

Philippe Drobinski, CNRS Research Director, Professor at Ecole Polytechnique (IP Paris) and Director of Energy4Climate

On September 2nd, 2026 4 min reading time

The impact of global warming is exacerbating strains on the French power grid.

More columns here
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π Space π Planet π Geopolitics

Climate, war, pollution: how satellites are documenting our greatest challenges

Episode 1 / 6
new

Measuring war damage cost-effectively using radar satellites

Daniel Racek, Head of the Department for Data Science in Crisis and Conflict Research at University of the Bundesw...

Episode 2 / 6

Satellite images reveal the extent of methane leaks across the world

Marielle Saunois, Lecturer and Researcher at Université Versailles Saint Quentin and Member of Climate and Environment...

Episode 3 / 6

IRIS2: everything you need to know about this new European constellation

Jean-Pierre Diris , Interministerial Coordinator for France on IRIS² and GOVSATCOM

Episode 4 / 6

The impact of the war in Ukraine on wheat production

Ahmad Al Bitar, CNRS Research Engineer at Centre d'Études Spatiales de la Biosphère , Veronika Antonenko, Research Engineer at Centre d'Études Spatiales de la Biosphère

Episode 5 / 6

The extent of glacier melt measured from space

Étienne Berthier, Glaciologist at CNRS , Fabien Maussion, Associate Professor at Bristol Glaciology Centre at University of Bristol

Episode 6 / 6

How satellites are redefining earthquake science

Claire Huber, Engineer and Project Manager in Remote Sensing and GIS (Geographic Information System) at SERTIT , Cécile Lasserre, CNRS Research Director at the LGLTPE laboratory

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π Planet π Science and technology

Biodiversity: understanding nature to preserve it better

Episode 1 / 7
new

Biodiversity credits and certificates: what's the difference?

Alain Karsenty, Economist and Researcher at Centre de coopération internationale en recherche agronomique pour le dé...

Episode 2 / 7

Agroecology: the path to agricultural biodiversity

Denis Couvet, President of the Foundation for Research on Biodiversity and Professor at Muséum National d'Histoire...

Episode 3 / 7

Environmental DNA: how to track biodiversity “barcodes”

Tania Louis, PhD in biology and Columnist at Polytechnique Insights

Episode 4 / 7

Between the buildings: wildlife in the urban landscape

Benoit Pisanu, Ecology Researcher at MNHN

Episode 5 / 7

Rewilding, a new approach to protecting biodiversity

Clémentine Mutillod, PhD Student at the Mediterranean Institute of Biodiversity and Ecology at Avignon Université , Simon Chollet, Lecturer at Université de Rennes

Episode 6 / 7

Compiling soundscapes to study global biodiversity

Kevin Darras, INRAE Researcher in Forest Ecosystems (EFNO)

Episode 7 / 7

The risks of releasing genetically modified animals into the environment

Virginie Courtier-Orgogozo, CNRS Research Director and Associate Professor of Biology at Ecole Polytechnique (IP Paris)

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